Moving Forward to Put Tenants first at Toronto Community Housing

As you may be aware, the City of Toronto is undertaking the Tenants First initiative to transform Toronto Community Housing (TCH) and bring it closer to the needs of tenants. The initiative has been informed and shaped by the input of tenants who have shared their lived experience, knowledge and advice as part of this plan. You can read the complete report here.

Toronto City Council this month voted to approve the implementation of Phase 1 of the Tenants First initiative to transform Toronto Community Housing (TCH) and bring the organisations closer to the needs of tenants. This work importantly will better connect residents with long-term care needs with our Local Health Integration Networks and healthcare services at more than 80 seniors-designated TCH buildings. The seniors-designated buildings will be managed by a new entity separate from TCH.

City Council also voted approve a Request for Expressions of Interest from non-profit, Co-op and land trust sectors to partner with the City to operate close to 700 scattered social housing properties across Toronto. These will include the TCH homes located in the Havelock St and Sylvan Ave area. City Council further voted to direct TCH to not permanently close any additional housing units in 2018 or 2019.

The work being undertaken to transform is not easy, but it has the potential to place TCH on the path to long-term sustainability and ensure the 110,000 tenants living in TCH buildings are better served for years to come. I look forward to continuing this important transformative work in consultation with tenants, staff, my colleagues and many community stakeholders.